Shock absorber



July 7, 1925. 1,544,888

F. E. CLARKE SHOCK ABSORBER Filed July 17. 1924 AWR .Hammam .1m u

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MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TQ JAMES S.

LANG, F WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOCK A BSORBEB.

Application illed July 17, 1924. Serial No. 726,515.

i l To all t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK E. CLARKE, of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State,l of Massachusetts, a citizenl of the United States, have invented a new and useful Imprdvement in Shock Absorbers, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exA actdescription, reference being had to the accompanying Vdrawings,rforming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The present invention v belongs to that class of shock absorbers which are especially adapted forv motor vehicles and in which the force required to pass a fluid through a restricted opening is utilized to preventvexcessive vibration or rebound. More particularly the invention relates to an improvement in that type i shock absorbers illustrated in Letters Paten of the United States granted to James S.\ Lang, No. 1,448,131, dated March 13, 1923 and No. 1,492,329, dated April 29, 1924i, and other patents of James S. Lang pertaining to the `same subjectmatter. i

The invention comprises an improvement in the valvularlcontrol for the restricted opening in the shock absorber through which a contained iluijd is assed.

The objectof the invention is to simplify the construction and make more facile the operation of the valve. v

The invention; can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawings in whichx .Figure v1 is afvertical cross section of a shock absorber lembodying the invention,

' such portion only of the absorber being shown as is necessary for a proper understanding of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a' cross section of a detail of construction. y

Referring to the drawings 1 represents a casing having a removable cover 2. Projecting laterally from the casing are lugs or ears 3 by which it may be secured to the body or framework of the vehicle. c

On the inside the casing is providedwvith various members or partitions 4, 5 and 6, re-

spectively, which provide within it a compression chamber 7 and outside this chamber a secondary or expansion chamber 8 with openings between t e two chambers, certain of the partitions assisting in the valvular control of said openings.

The casing forms a receptacle for oil contained within its respective chambers. The compression chamber 7 is withinA a cylinder formed by the coo eration of the wall or partitionv 4 with t e walls of the casing'. Contained to reciprocate within the cylinder is a piston 9. The piston is connected by iiexible mechanism 10 and other mechamsm (not shown) illustrated in the patents bolve referred to, with the axle of the ve- With the casing secured to the body of the vehicle and the piston connected'to its axle, any change in the relative positions of the axle and vehicle body will act to move the piston 9 which is raised or lowered in the cylinder.

. Owing to-the manner of controlling the passage of oil, between the compression chamber and the secondary chamber the piston is controlled to move upwardly within the compression chamber or cylinder'with a relatively free movement, but its action is impeded or restrained when moved in a reverse direction. ATo this end communication between the compresion and expansion chambers comprises an inlet opening 10 into the compression chamber from the secondary or expansion chamber. This opening is controlled by a valve 11`which permits a free ow of oil from the secondary chamber into the cylinder when the piston -is raised, but prevents a free passage of oil through the openlng 10 when the ,piston moves in a reverse direction. The particular type of valve shown is like that illustrated in Letters Patent of the United States granted James S. Lang, No. 1,492,332, dated April 20, 1924. There is also provided an outlet from the compression chamber into the secondary chamber., This outlet is by way of openings 12 and 12 formed within the artitions .5 and 6, respectively. The openmgs are oppositely arranged and receive with a sliding t a cylindrical valve 13, the bore of the partitions 5 and 6 around the openings 12, 12 therein forming a valveseat. It 1s this valve to which the invention essentially pertains, and to which special reference will now be made.

AThe valve 13 is provided with a hollow interior or space 14 forming a passageway for the transmission of fiuid between the compression chamber and the secondary chamber. Communication between the compression chamber and the space l/i inside the valve is provided by way oi portsl c ut through the wall of the valve at 'points 1ntermediate the endsthereof and in that portion of the valve normally contained tolle between the partitions 5 and 6 oi the casing when the valve is occupying an open position. Communication between the space 1.4: of the valve and the secondary chamber 1s by way of ports 16 and-1'?7 at the top and bottom open ends, respectively,oi` the valve.

The upper end oi' the valve is shouldered to receive a weight 18 fastened to the valve by means oil a loch nut 19, The valve issupported by a spring 20 extending upwardly through the open bottom end oli the valve and through the hollow interior there/olewith bearin against a'shoulder 21 on the interior oi t e valve body, the upper end or the opening or Cpassage through the valve being contracte to torni this shoulder..

rthe spring is supported by the lower end thereoi restlng upon an adjustable spring su port 22 which is threaded to tit and be adjustable in boring formed within a plug 23 which closes an opening within the casing below the valve and through which opening the valve is inserted within the casing. 'lhe adjustment ot the spring supportl 22 is secured by a slot 24 within it by which it may be turned. Yllhat portion or the boring in the plug 23 below the spring support is closed by an auxiliary plug 25 which prevents the emap'e ci any oil which might leali past the spring support.

The valve and its attached weight sup portd in a state oit substantial balance upon the spring 20 is free to move in a vert1cal direction in response to such iorces as may be brought to bear upon it A. stop to limit the upward movement or the valve alter it haspassed its rull open position is provided by a shoulder 26 on the valve at the lower end thereof which contacts with the under side of the partition 7 acting as a stop. stop to limit the downward movement of the valve after it has-passed its closed position is provided by the lower end surface oi the valve contacting with a stop 27 on the upper' end suriace of the plug l23..

The general 'operation is as follows: rlhe normal position oil the valve, or, in other words, the valve when unadected by other forces, takes its osition as shown in. Fig. l. in a state of su tantial balance upon its supporting spring 20 with all the ports 15 oi the valve open and with. the shoulder 26 lightly pressing against the under surface orn partition 6 or, if desired and as indicated in the drawings, occupying a position just out ot contact with the under side of the partition 6. Assuming now that a ilow of fluid takes place from the compression cham-V ber 7 through the openings 12, 12 to the messes secondary chamber, this being brought about by a did'erence of pressures in chambers 7 and 8, resulting' from a movement oi .the piston 9, at such time the fluid discharged from the compression chamber will enter the valve ports 15 and by dividing paths in the cavity 11i oi the valve find its exit to the secondary chamber by way of ports 16 and 17 at the opposite ends of the valve. As previously noted, the opening through the valve at the upper end thereof trom which exits the lport 16 is more contracted than the lower end of the opening from which exits the port 17, and accordingly in order that the valve may through it the opening through the up er end of the valve is supplemented by a ditional ports 28. 'lhus the port 16 supplemented by ports 28 is substantially equal in area to that of port 17 with the result be unaffected by the dow ci duid "lll that the reactive eect of the dow of, duid through the various ports is neutralized and the valve is unadected by the dow oil lluid through it and the substantial suspensicnal balance of the valve will be maintained.

The valve 13 and its attached weight 18 may be considered as one with reference to the effect of their inertia. lli the valve be depressed from its normal position the spring 20 will be compressed and upon release will return to its original position as the inertia of the valve and attached weight is overcome by the spring. Likewise if the absorber casing 1 carrying the partitions 5 and 6 and spring support 22 is suddenly raised the inertia oi the wei hted valve duev to its considerable mass wil tend to cause it to lag .behind the rise of the casing' compressing the spring 20 and resulting in a relative movement between the casing and valve which closes the ports 15.. lli the upward movement of the. casing is not continued the compressed spring 20 will in turn overcome the inertia oi the weighted valve which will return to its original position're- A opening the ports 15.

rlhese operations attend various movements ot the vehicle body ln connection with which the absorber is used and result in the prevention of excessivevibration or rebound thereof as pointed out in detail in the patents ofdames S. Lang previously referred to.

`Having thus fully described my invention, l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. 1n a uid check shock absorber for controlling the movement of relatively nuovable parts comprising an element attachable to one otsaid parts and having a ressure chamber, said element being provi ed also with means permitting of the circulation of a duid into and out of said chamber and consisting in part of a controllable outlet, a piston attachable to the other of said parts ldd ist

and reciprocable in said pressure chamber, a hollow wei hted valve controlling said outlet, said vavehaving a valve cavity with openings` into and out of said cavity arranged whereby fluid from out of the pressure chamber when compressed by the piston will be directed to enter and ass through said valve' in opposite directions when the valveds open, one of the openings from the cavity of the valve being in the lower end thereof, a spring extending through said opening in the lower end of the valve into the cavity of the valve for yieldingly supporting the valve in a normally open position, and means for supporting the spring.

2. In a fluid check shock absorber for controlling the movement of relatively movable parts comprising an element attachable to one of said arts and having a ressure chamber, sai element being provi ed also with means permitting of the circulation of a fluid into and out of said chamber and consisting Iin part of a controllable outlet, a piston attachable to the other of said parts and reciprocable in said pressure chamber, a hollow Weighted valve controlling said outlet, said valve having a valve cavity with openings into and out of said cavity arranged whereby fluid from out of the pressure chamber when compressed by the piston will be directed to enter and 'pass through said valve in opposite directions when the valve is open, the openings out of valve cavity comprising openings through the opposite ends of the valve, and means for supporting said valve in a normally open position.

3. In a fluid check shock absorber for controlling the movement of relatively7 movable parts comprising an element attachable to one of said parts and having a pressure chamber, said element being provided also with means permitting of the circulation of a fluid into and out of said chamber and consisting in part of a controllable outlet, a piston attachable to the other of said parts and recibrocable in said pressure chamber, a hollow weighted valve controlling said outlet, said valve having a valve cavity with openings into and out of said cavity arranged whereby fluid from out of the pres sure chamber when compressed by the piston will be directed to enter and ass through said valve in opposite directions when the valve is o en, said valve having also a shoulder within the cavity thereof, a- Spring extending through the lower end of the valve into the cavity thereof with bearing against said shoulder for yieldingly supporting the valve ina normally open position, and means for supporting the spring.

FREDERICK E. CLARKE. 

